Name PM candidate, Nitish Kumar tells NDA

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar reiterated on Monday that the NDA nominee for the Prime Minister's post should be announced before the next Lok Sabha elections, after consultations among alliance partners.

"Yes, this is how it should be done," he said, in response when asked if he still stood by his earlier stand that the name of the NDA's PM candidate should be announced before the polls.

Talking to newspersons here, Kumar said JD(U) president Sharad Yadav had made it clear that the NDA's choice for the PM's post would be decided at a meeting of the NDA partners.

Kumar advised the media not to go overboard over the issue and leave the job to the politicians.

On the speculation over early elections, the CM said, "In my view there is no possibility of early Lok Sabha elections. The decision on timing of going to polls is the discretion of the party in power. But as things stand, we are ready to face elections anytime."

Asked about Modi's growing national profile and the European Union's invitation to him, Kumar said there was no need for a third person to react to it.